NASA’s X-59 about to fly for the first time; surprising details emerge about ‘Concorde successor”s promised London-New York trip

The experimental jet, often referred to as a “potential successor to Concorde,” is currently undergoing final safety checks before its first test flight, Mirror America reported. If successful, the plane could one day significantly shorten travel times between London and New York.

This is much faster than traditional commercial flights, which typically take around seven to eight hours on the same route.

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The aircraft is part of NASA’s broader effort to reinvigorate supersonic air travel in a way that is quieter and more commercially viable than the iconic supersonic airliner Concorde, which was retired in 2003.

NASA’s X-59 is designed to solve this problem.

According to the American Mirror, the aircraft was designed to produce only a gentle “thump” rather than the destructive sonic boom typically produced by supersonic jets.

The aircraft is currently based at U.S. Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, californiathe team conducts an extensive assessment of its systems and safety features before takeoff.

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Future flights will gradually push the X-59 to higher altitudes and faster speeds, eventually surpassing the sound barrier.

NASA Armstrong recently shared an update on the project, saying: “As NASA’s one-of-a-kind X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft nears its first flight, its team is mapping every step from taxi and takeoff to cruise and landing, with their decisions guided by safety.”